The Conversation

The election of the Biden administration raised hopes of a new dawn in US environmental protections. But left-right views will continue to stymie progress, just as they do in Australia. John Carr, Senior Lecturer, Environment and Society Group, UNSW Tema Milstein, Associate Professor of Environment & Society, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Excavator, farmer, matchmaker: echidnas provide a host of benefits to nature. So let's harness the potential. David John Eldridge, Professor of Dryland Ecology, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Experts reviewed the literature on climate change and gender in developing countries, and found many unhelpful, outdated assumptions are still kicking around. Jacqueline Lau, Research fellow, James Cook University Pip Cohen, Research Leader of Small-scale Fisheries at WorldFish, CGIAR, and Adjunct Research Fellow at ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Sarah Lawless, PhD Candidate, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The global pandemic caused an unprecedented drop in global emissions. But this is likely to rebound as economies start to recover. Pep Canadell, Chief research scientist, Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; and Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Corinne Le Quéré, Royal Society Research Professor, University of East Anglia Glen Peters, Research Director, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Matthew William Jones, Senior Research Associate, University of East Anglia Pierre Friedlingstein, Chair, Mathematical Modelling of Climate, University of Exeter Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Rob Jackson, Professor, Department of Earth System Science, and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, Stanford University Steve Davis, Professor of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some plastic sent overseas for recycling ends up as pollution, or goes up in toxic smoke. But there are steps we can take to ensure our waste is processed as intended. Monique Retamal, Research Principal, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Elsa Dominish, Senior Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Nick Florin, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Rachael Wakefield-Rann, Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tackling climate change involves changes in behaviour that would significantly improve people's general health — and save money. Nick Wilson, Professor of Public Health, University of Otago Caroline Shaw, Associate Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Jude Ball, Research Fellow in Public Health, University of Otago Michael Baker, Professor of Public Health, University of Otago Simon Hales, University of Otago Tim Chambers, Senior Research Fellow in the Health Environment & Infection Research Unit (HEIRU), University of Otago Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Researcher and photographer Claire Greenwell explains why people are the biggest threat to nesting shorebirds, and the simple ways you can help keep them safe next time you're at the beach. Claire Greenwell, PhD Candidate, Murdoch University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The transition to 100% renewable energy will require a lot of land – mostly in regional Australia. This presents big challenges, and opportunities, for the farming sector. Bonnie McBain, Lecturer, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Researchers strapped tracking devices to 20 powerful owls in Melbourne and learned these apex predators are increasingly choosing to sleep in urban areas, from backyard trees to golf courses. Nick Bradsworth, PhD Candidate, Deakin University John White, Associate Professor in Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Deakin University Raylene Cooke, Associate Professor, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Iconic ecosystems, from coral reefs to Tasmania's ancient forests, are collapsing across the continent and into Antarctica. It's not too late to act — in fact, our lives depend on it. Dana M Bergstrom, Principal Research Scientist, University of Wollongong Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Lesley Hughes, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University Michael Depledge, Professor and Chair, Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

During the Texas cold snap prices jumped 30,000%. We can't allow it to happen here. Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Last year, renewables provided a whopping 60% of South Australia's electricity supplies. The remarkable progress came as national climate policy was gripped by paralysis – so how did it happen? Michael McGreevy, Research Associate, Flinders University Fran Baum, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor, Foundation Director, Southgate Institute for Health, Society & Equity, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

By collaborating with Indigenous ranger groups, we can make strategic fire and land management practices economically sustainable for traditional landowners. Kamaljit K Sangha, Senior Ecological Economist, Charles Darwin University Andrew Edwards, Research Fellow Bushfires, Charles Darwin University Willie Rioli Sr, Fire Coordinator for the Tiwi Islands, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

While Australia doesn't generally experience such extreme winter temperatures, our electricity systems are still vulnerable to climate change, extreme weather and power outages. Tim Nelson, Associate Professor of Economics, Griffith University Joel Gilmore, Associate Professor, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand has put just over half of its NZ$50 billion pandemic stimulus towards clean energy, but several fossil fuel powered projects will slow down the country's shift to a low-emissions economy. David Hall, Senior Researcher in Politics, Auckland University of Technology Nina Ives, Climate change PhD student, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Bushfire Recovery Victoria has a focus on Aboriginal culture and healing – a long overdue approach in disaster recovery. Bhiamie Williamson, Research Associate & PhD Candidate, Australian National University Phoebe Quinn, Research Fellow - Disaster Recovery, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The dingo fence is the longest fence in the world. The environment looks almost identical on either side — until you view it from space. Adrian G. Fisher, Lecturer in Remote Sensing, UNSW Charlotte Mills, Visiting Fellow, UNSW Mike Letnic, Professor, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, UNSW Mitchell Lyons, Postdoctoral research fellow, UNSW Will Cornwell, Associate Professor in Ecology and Evolution, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In Australia and around the world, failures in flood warnings can have devastating effects. But 'humanitarian engineering' may have the answer. Spyros Schismenos, PhD Fellow / Research Assistant, Western Sydney University Garry Stevens, Director of Academic Programs, Western Sydney University Nichole Georgeou, Associate Dean International, and Director Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI), Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia needs to drop the deception that square kilometres say anything meaningful about conservation. Bob Pressey, Professor, Conservation Planning, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero, Senior Research Fellow, James Cook University Rodolphe Devillers, Senior research scientist, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD) Trevor J Ward, Visiting Fellow, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Given climate change predictions of more extreme floods in New Zealand, it's time to change management practices to work with a river, allowing it room to move and its channels to adjust. Gary John Brierley, Professor, Chair of Physical Geography, University of Auckland Dan C H Hikuroa, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland Heide Friedrich, Associate Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland Ian Christopher Fuller, Professor in Physical Geography, Massey University James Brasington, University of Canterbury Jo Hoyle, River Geomorphologist, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Jon Tunnicliffe, Senior Lecturer in River Science, University of Auckland Kristiann Allen, Associate Director, Policy and International Relations at Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland Richard Measures, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.